UnderErased: Prologue
by Cear IK
Summary: 1001 Resets of Pain. 1001 Resets of Death. Why did the Pacifist become the Genocide? Why was the Universe erased? What will become of the girl who just can't die? Self-harm references. Constructive criticism wanted. Formating issues- fixed? Undertale belongs to Toby Fox- thank him for giving us UT! Also thanks for all the different fanfic authors for inspiring me!
1. Ch 0 & Ch 1: Something Missing

_Cear IK: Hi! Thankyou for clicking on this story! I was writing an essay by hand one day and this... kinda interrupted with twelve consecutive front-and-back pages of story. It kinda decided on chapters, writing style, perspective- the whole shebang. And trust me, these things do change. Third chapter, named "Project Notes"? Yeah, that's written from Gaster's first-person perspective, as if he was writing notes for how the MC was doing. Don't ask me why- I know just as much as you why this happened, and I_ wrote _it! Anyway, Thankyou very much for clicking! I hope you get to read everything- I hope I finish everything! I know what is going to happen, just not how it's going to happen... And I posted this here because I need motivation to finish it. That's why constructive criticism is wanted- to motivate me to be a better writer! The blurb before Chapter One? That's there because this is written from the overall perspective of the MC's past- which is why I know what is going to happen. Also why this is called "_ Prologue _".  
Anyway, I've nattered enough. Thankyou for clicking, hope you enjoy, please leave any sort of response (even if it's simply to say "this sucks!"). Undertale belongs to Toby Fox- thank him for giving us this wonderful world! Also, thanks to a whole host of wonderful fanfic writers who gave me the inspiration and gumption to actually write and post this!_

* * *

Darkness. Darkness as far as the eye can see, the mind could sense. A bit melodramatic, yes, but true nonetheless. Darkness, missing the colors that should be there to lighten it. Violet, Yellow, Green, Orange, Blue, Red… Cyan. Colors that should have lit the heart… but left it so ominously blackened in their absence.

* * *

 **Chapter One:**

Empty. That was the word. Nothing but emptiness inside. She just wished that there was emptiness around her to match.

 **We can take care of that easily, Partner.**

She ignored the voice. There was nothing she could do to it otherwise.

 **What's the matter, Partner? Got 'knife-ing' to say?**

Anger blossomed in the emptiness, but it was dulled with hopeless despair. The voice giggled, happier having drawn a response from her. The world's pacifistic soul continued ignoring her genocidal counterpart, standing at a memorial marker that should not have existed, feeling herself lose a piece of herself that should not be missing for the 999th time. She couldn't move, couldn't speak, couldn't cope- all she could do was shake. A comforting hand was placed on her shoulder, a startled intake and an even more abrupt bear hug the owner's response to finder her shaking so.

"SHH, THERE THERE. YOU'RE OK"

He didn't understand. She wasn't okay, she was never okay anymore. The void in her heart was shaking her apart. All she wanted was her piece back. She was so empty she couldn't even cry anymore. The bones she was pressed into were… wrong. Not…

"PLEASE BE OKAY….?"

The worry in his voice pulled her back. He was so important to… She couldn't hurt him. She took a deep breath, the air shuddering into starved lungs. Funny, she hadn't been aware she had stopped breathing. The void inside her hurt, it took up to much space. She breathed around it.

 _Just deal a little longer… Focus_

"Morgaine…?"

She focused.

"I'm… I'm alright now, Paps." Her voice was dull, flat, even to her ears. She was such a liar. She hadn't been alright for a long time. She pulled away. Turned. Forced herself to actually _look_ at the grave marker, study it while ignoring all of the emotions it evoked. She could feel the worried stare boring into her from her companions. She ignored it, like she ignored the snickering from the genocidal one stuck in her head. This grave marker looked older than all the others. It was, she discovered when she studied it closer, reading only the dates on the inscription, by far the oldest out of the 999 others.

 _"Morgaine… Breathe."_

Oh. That was why she was starting to feel lightheaded. She forgot to breathe again. She breathed. She continued studying the marker.

"IS… IS SHE ALRIGHT?"

 _"I… I don't know. I don't really think so."_

" _WILL_ SHE BE ALRIGHT, GASTER?"

 _"Only time will tell, Papyrus. Only time will tell."_

 **Yes, time will tell. Who knows that better than you… Partner?**

She ignored the voice, but it was right about one thing. Time _would_ tell. If she reset enough… For a time, the markers had been getting newer. She had been getting closer to getting her piece back. But now…

"It's older…"

"WHAT?"

 _"What's older, Morgaine?"_

"I've… I've been resetting a lot, as you know, Gaster."

 _"Yes. You resetting a couple of hundred times in succession is what allowed me to come back. Since you seem to have broken time a little."_

"Sorry Gaster. This was my 999th reset since I started counting."

 _"...And what made you start counting?"_

The scientist looks intrigued, and a little worried. So he should. She broke time after resetting approximately 500 times consecutively. She raises an arm and points to the marker they had found her at.

"When _that_ replaced…" She took a breath. "When the marker started appearing in the timelines."

The scientist's eyes widen.

 _"So you knew…"_

He doesn't say the name. She flinches, but just nods, trembling.

 _"Is that why…"_

Another trembling nod.

 _"Oh. Oh dear. My poor child."_

She's not a child, hasn't been for a long time, but she's gotten used to her chronological age, so she no longer minds.

 _"Can… Can you wait a little while this time, before resetting? I'd like to do a little research, but you haven't given me time."_

She's frozen. She can't breathe. Can't move. All she feels is the pain singing with taut viciousness through the void that has become her soul. At least when she resets, there's faint, broken hope to bulwarked by granite determination to balance out the pain. But that hope had just failed her for the 999th time. She had to reset again, _she couldn't live with this-_

White bony hands took hers. A white, cracked face looked into hers.

 _"I'd like to help."_


	2. Ch 2: Dangerous Hope

His voice reaches her through the pain singing through her heart, the void that's replaced her soul, the voice of the genocide in her head.

 _"I'd like to help."_

Slowly, so slowly, so as not to crack, she looks at him.

 _I'd like to help._

He had and was again the Royal Scientist.

 _I'd like to help._

He was a first class scientist with a brilliant mind and a gifted sense of intuition.

 _ **I'd like to help.**_

She was so stupid, _brainless_ , she hadn't thought of getting help, yes she was determined, but that was no reason to let her determination take the place of her _brains_ -

 _"Morgaine- **Breathe**."_

His hands were on her shoulders now, her skin pressing into the holes in his palms. When had he moved them-? Oh. Right. Breathe. She breathed, which seemed to relieve the face in front of hers. She kept forgetting- living was so much harder than the other option. She'd tried that too, after she had broken the timeline when she panicked, but the rules – and Gaster – wouldn't let her.

 _Breathe_

She breathed.

She was on her knees in the snow, Gaster and the skeleton kneeling beside her. She must have grown faint when she forgot to breathe again. What were they talking about again? Oh yes, Gaster had offered to help. As long as- her breathing hitched, but she wasn't determined for nothing, hadn't reset 999 times for nothing, so she fought to breathe, to stay conscious, even though it was only in unconsciousness that she ever found peace from the constant torment of her loss anymore.

She would have to stay in this reset.

She closed her eyes, not wanting to see, needing to concentrate on handling the pain that was nearly overwhelming.

 _Gaster wants to help._

 _Gaster can help._

Slowly, almost too slowly, she built hope out of that phrase, repeating it almost like a mantra. So focused was she, she almost didn't realize when she was scooped up in strong arms.

"IS SHE ALRIGHT?"

 _"Papyrus… I don't think anyone who's been through what she's described to me and done what she's done could be described as 'alright'."_

She snuggled into the arms holding her. These arms, too, were wrong, but she was too exhausted from her emotional torment to care much. Stars, she hadn't rested since… in so very long. She simply hadn't been able to, first lost in her panicked torment, then to busy trying to change everything back by resetting. She was still busy - everything was still not right, still changed so wrongly – but the exhaustion set in and she fell into a bruised, restless sleep.

* * *

Gaster looked down at the limp form resting gently in his arms. So very small, so very fragile, yet so very, very determined. Morgaine was still shivering, even in her sleep. Gaster didn't think it was from the cold. So much agony, contained within such a small body. The scientist within him wondered how she did it, speculated what the effects on her soul were. Whatever they were, they couldn't be good. He would have to look at it, but he would do her the decency of not looking at her soul in the snow. Plus, he didn't want to worry Papyrus- worry him more, that is. The poor skeleton was already worried enough, if the soft sound of clacking bones was indication enough.

"THE HUMAN SHOULD BE WARMER! WE MUST BRING HER SOMEWHERE WARM AND DRY! – WE COULD BRING HER TO MY HOME!" Papyrus concluded.

 _"I don't think she'd want to wake up in your house, Papyrus, considering the nature of her loss. If she really was mated to your brother in a past timeline-"_ no need to tell him that Gaster knew the truth in those words _"-then she probably has a lot of memories about living there with you and your brother. Memories that are probably quite painful right now."_

The change in Papyrus' expression as his face fell would have looked quite comical, if not for the circumstances. Making a snap decision, Gaster continued.

 _"No, I'll take her back to the lab. She should be quite warm and comfortable there, and there shouldn't be any memories to prey upon her mind. Additionally, that's where all the equipment I will be using to… help Morgaine will be."_

No need to tell the young skeleton that he also fully intended to study her as well. Papyrus was still innocent enough to find that particular fact disturbing.

The thought of teleporting through the void he had been stuck in for an unnamed amount of time left him shuddering, so he headed towards the shore that the Riverperson picked people up at, Papyrus trailing behind him. Hmm. Seemed Papyrus had formed an attachment to Morgaine in the short (very short) time he'd known her this reset. Either that, or Papyrus had started to inherit the ability to remember the resets in place of his brother… But that theory was almost ridiculous in its' improbability. More likely he had just grown a friendly attachment, as was his nature. Besides, if Papyrus was inheriting his brother's power…

That would bode ill, indeed.

* * *

She was warm. She was dry. She couldn't – wouldn't – remember the last time she wasn't in the snow. She'd had such good reason to stay in the snow, and with time stuck in a constant loop- well, not like she could get sick, was it? For that matter, her reason for staying in the snow was still valid, still present. Why, then, wasn't she still in the snow? She opened her eyes.

At first, all she could see was white ceiling and bright light, but her eyes quickly adjusted and she could see more. She was on a bed… What seemed like a hospital bed?And there were so many machines…? The memory was dim, overlayed by 999 RESETS of pain, but if finally resurfaced, answering the question of why everything seemed a little familiar. She was in the lab. Why was she in the lab-? Another memory resurfaced, this one much more recent, of familiar voices and bones that were wrong. That was right. Gaster must have brought her here after she fell asleep in his arms. That memory brought another, darker one, and she shivered, tightening her hands around her arms, huddling into herself.

 _She would have to stay in this timeline._

 _Gaster wants to help_ she quickly reminded herself, clutching onto the hope that that thought brought like a lifeboat against the sea of pain.

 **You sure, Partner? Maybe he just wants to Study you.**

She ignored the voice of the genocidal like always. There was nothing else she could do to it.

 _"Oh, you're awake."_

Gaster walked into the room, tucking his glasses back against his face.

 _"You slept so long, you worried Papyrus. Poor Alphys thought she was going to have to administer adrenaline to wake you up. Or kick Papyrus out."_

Gaster looked faintly amused at the thought of timid Alphys kicking anyone anywhere. She just blinked.

"How long?" Gaster checked some sort of device he plucked out of the folds of his cloak-like trenchcoat.

 _"You slept for a day."_

Her eyes widened in consternation. She had slept for a day. What right did she have to rest when He-! When she still had a job to do, a wrong to right… A life to save. Her pain surged up and she went to bury her face in her hands at the shame of it, but found she couldn't… Gaster had taken each of her hands in his. She looked up into his face, slightly startled to find it so close to her own.

 _"Morgaine… There was no helping it. Your body was exhausted, your energy drained… You wouldn't have lasted much longer. We-"_ he seemed to hesitate for a moment, but he was the infamous Gaster, he couldn't have _"-we took a look at your soul. You… Morgaine, you're missing a large chunk of it, and the rest is badly damaged and weakened. It's only due to the fact that you're a Determined Soul that you're even alive at all."_

She would be fine with that, it was preferable to being alive after all.

 _"Morgaine… If you died, then who would help…"_ he seemed to know not to mention Him by name. _"… who would save the one you're trying to save?"_

She froze at that. He was right. If she died, who would save… Who would have the power to change the markers back to who they were supposed to be? So she couldn't die. She had a job, and no one to pass it off to. She couldn't escape. She groaned at this, even as the realization filled her with Determination to continue. For… To reverse the existence of the markers, she would endure. It was the least she could do. She looked back at Gaster. The scientist seemed to be looking at her thoughtfully. Was what the other had said true…?

"I don't care if you intend to study me Gaster, as long as you help me and don't… don't endanger my chances of saving…" she trailed off. She couldn't – just couldn't – talk about… About who she was trying to save. Surprisingly, Gaster gently squeezed the hands he still held- she didn't really know him, but he never seemed like the most emotive of monsters.

 _"I'm not one for making promises…"_ he began, making her flinch at the similarity to Someone Else who hated making promises, _"… but I promise you, Morgaine, I will do my best to help you. Studying your… unique soul and situation is just a pleasant side-effect of what needs to be done."_

Looking into his violet eyelights, she could tell he meant it. She nodded, accepting his promise. Taking a deep breathe, she slid out of the bed and stood.

"Well then. Let's be about it."

.

.

And the faintest glimmer of the most dangerous of all emotions began growing in her empty heart –

 **HOPE.**


	3. Ch 3: Project Notes (Gaster)

_**Project Notes:** _

**Lead Scientist:** WD Gaster  
 **Affiliate Scientist:** Alphys  
 **RESET:** 999  
 **Day:** 8

 _The Subject… Morgaine seems to be doing well. She seems, although quiet and subdued, to be functioning normally, even making Alphys and Papyrus – who has refused to go home – smile. However, further study of her soul shows that she is in fact deteriorating the longer she refrains from resetting. She has made no mention of the extreme she must feel, judging by the state of her soul, and she downright refuses to talk about her loss. In the week or so she's been staying at the lab, she has gone as far as to leave the room should so much as his name be mentioned. Strikingly, the deterioration of her soul worsens after such episodes. I have taken the precaution of forbidding the other two from speaking to her about it. The rate of deterioration has subsided since. However, she is still deteriorating. I fear that we do not have much time before a RESET is forced._

* * *

 **Lead Scientist:** WD Gaster  
 **Affiliate Scientist:** Alphys  
 **RESET:** 999  
 **Day:** 16

 _Morgaine is defying all expectations. Her soul is very badly deteriorated, to the point that she should be dead from the sheer emotional trauma done to her soul, but she refuses. I am unsure as to how long she can survive the trauma she has and is going through. I have asked Morgaine why she has not RESET yet. She replied that she had hope from my help, and that that Hope gave her Determination. It is my hypothesis that it is that Determination keeping her alive. Underground can only hope it keeps her sane, as well. Having seen Genocide timelines in other timelines (but never before with Morgaine), I am not eager to experience one for myself. The signs, however, are there. I have come across her muttering to herself once or twice. Once I heard her say "Partner". I know that the Genocidal One is present. Currently, I have no data to match to the soul. I am not in the habit of hoping myself, but in this case all I am able to do is hope that Morgaine, with her damaged psyche, even more damaged soul, and strong Determination keeps me from getting a chance to study the genocide soul. A lack of chance is a lack of genocide._

* * *

 **Lead Scientist:** WD Gaster  
 **Affiliate Scientist:** Alphys  
 **RESET:** 999  
 **Day:** 24

 _Morgaine has become increasingly on edge, more withdrawn and quiet. She has been making Alphys and Papyrus smile less frequently, and now even Papyrus is beginning to notice something is wrong. Nearly 100% of Morgaine's remaining soul has deteriorated. The missing piece has still not been found- rather, it was discovered that more pieces are missing than just the one. From the age of the scars, all the pieces went missing at around the same time. It is unclear whether or not the pieces were destroyed or have been lost, although the latter is highly unlikely. Where would the pieces go- into her clothes? It appears, however, that Morgaine was Soul Bound but survived the destruction of her mate. If this is true, it would explain the deterioration and missing pieces. However, the survival of one's sanity through the destruction of their mate is highly improbable, let alone one's life. Although there is Morgaine's warping of the timeline that resulted in my freedom to consider…  
Papyrus has become surprisingly useful to the investigation, considering his extreme naïveté and innocence. It seems that Morgaine does not wish to worry him, so tries harder to hide her deterioration from him than she does for the rest of us. Papyrus, however, has already noticed and does his best to encourage Morgaine to emote. Curiously, it appears that Morgaine has some difficulty emoting, similar to the lack of emotion found in a high-LOVE case, although Morgaine's LOVE remains a constant and steady 2. She will not speak of how she obtained her LOVE status, although… If what I conjecture is true, then I pity Morgaine her situation the more for it. No one should be forced to turn in violence on their mate._

* * *

 **Leading Scientist:** WD Gaster  
 **RESET:** 999

 _I fear the worst is happening. Yesterday, a pile of dust was found inhabiting Alphys' lab coat. Morgaine was found nearby with her hand pinned to the wall by a strange, unfamiliar, dust-covered knife. She would not allow us to touch the knife, but was eventually persuaded to remove it herself. The knife has vanished since. Papyrus was overcome with shock and sadness, and despite her trouble emoting, it was Morgaine who comforted him, even putting off the treatment of her hand to make sure he was alright. Papyrus scolded her when he realized she had not taken care of her own wound, but that was very interesting behavior. I am forming a hypothesis about why Morgaine should put Papyrus' well-being ahead of her own, much as his older brother would have. Said hypothesis would pertain as to why Sans is missing from the timelines. However, as what I have is pure conjecture with only very little circumstantial evidence to sustain it, I will refrain from making any official recordings._

 _This event demonstrates that we have run out of time. The genocide soul is getting restless. I am reluctant to allow it further instances to act. Morgaine's LOVE has not risen, so I know she is not the one at fault. It appears that she is at her limit. I can only hope that we are ready. I fear the consequences of failure, for Morgaine- and for the Underground._


	4. Ch 4: No Hope

When I wake up from the new RESET, I race through the Ruins, avoiding Toriel. I can get to Snowdin faster if I avoid her fight, and thus, her. I race into the snow, past that goddamn branch, past the gate, past the Abandoned Sentry Station. My feet feel like they've been given wings, and for the first time in 1000 RESETS, my heart feels lighter. Gaster had taken great pains to warn me against failure, but any progress, no matter how small, would mean absolutely everything to me at this point. I know Papyrus' schedule, so I know where to find him, and he looks surprised when I skid to a stop in front of him. Literally- I left skid marks in the snow.

"WOW, A HUMAN!"

"Papyrus!" I cry, too impatient for him to continue with his script. "Did Gaster succeed?!"

"… GASTER? I AM NOT SURE WHO YOU MEAN, HUMAN. THE GREAT PAPYRUS DOES NOT KNOW ANYONE NAMED 'GASTER'! PERHAPS YOU COULD INTRODUCE US?"

My heart sinks, but I have to make sure…

"Papyrus, who is the Royal Scientist?"

"ALPHYS IS THE ROYAL SCIENTIST, OF COURSE! EVERYONE KNOWS THAT! NYEH HEH HEH!"

Poor Gaster. He'd lost his freedom and was probably stuck in the void, scattered across time and space. Again. Or something worse. I brace myself for bad news. Losing Gaster meant that it was highly unlikely any progress was mad, and that there was little hope continuing his research in helping me right the wrong done to this world, to me.

"Papyrus…" I say hesitantly, unwilling to go on but knowin I must. "Where's your brother?"

"MY BROTHER? THE GREAT PAPYRUS HAS NO BROTHER! BUT IF I DID, I'D BE THE OLDER BROTHER AND TAKE CARE OF EVERYTHING! NYEH HEH HEH!"

I'm floored. Of all the responses I could have, should have, gotten, this was NOT one of them. I cling to my last remaining hope like a lifeline, my voice audibly trembling as I struggle not to break. Again.

"P-Papyrus… Where is Sans?" My voice is barely audible and his name sends pain through my soul like a knife-wound. I can only cling to the faintest hope… But even that hope is turned against me.

"SANS? I KNOW OF NO SANS. WHO IS THIS SANS? PERHAPS YOU COULD INTRODUCE THEM TO THE GREAT PAPYRUS!"

My world breaks. The genocide soul had completely erased him from the timeline. All I can feel is an all-consuming pain. He's gone. There is no more hope. No more reason to stay Determined. My nails sink into my arms and I hear screaming. I'm screaming. The pain is too much, I see Papyrus running towards me looking scared while I sink to my knees, and blessedly, I pass out. But even in the black unconsciousness, I cannot truly escape the pain.

When I wake up, I'm lying in a patch of golden flowers. I don't remember doing so, but it appears I've RESET. This makes 1001. Wait- what happened to RESET #1000?

 **Welcome back, Partner**

"Howdy… Partner"

I ignore both the voice and the flower, although I keep a wary eye on the flower. He has tried to kill me more than once, after all. Now, what was I doing…? Ah yes. Gaster had said he would help, and after spending an excruciatingly long time in that one timeline, I had reset again to test the results of what he had come up with. I wonder what happened in RESET #1000? No matter. I had to hope that it was good. I feared what it would be otherwise.

 **Heh. It's funny when you lie to yourself, Partner.**

Out of sheer reflex, I ignore the statement. And I most certainly ignore the implications.

 **Heh. Suit yourself. Your reaction will be all the more Entertaining**

I shiver, and the flower just watches. His expression is… anticipatory? I shiver again. That does not bode well. It never does, but I am Determined not to let those two have their way. Not ever.

 _Not even if he's truly gone?_ An insidious thought whispers from the back of my own mind, but I resolutely ignore it, too. No. Gaster said he'd help me fix the problem. He was brilliant. He'd know what to do. I race through ruins, avoiding Toriel. Why do I feel a sense of Déjà vu? Why is there dread in my soul instead of the hope I should be filled with? I hit the snow, slipping and sliding in my haste, hurrying to dispel these negative feelings in my heart. Past that goddamn branch, past the gate, past the Abandoned Sentry Station- _what is up with the goddamn Déjà vu?_ My feet feel dragged down by it, my heart is heavy with the foreboding it brings. I'm panting with the weight of it by the time I skid to a stop in front of Papyrus. He looks at me and blinks.

"GOOD TO SEE YOU IN GOOD HEALTH, HUMAN!"

 _Wh-what?_ My mind stutters. This is the first time he's seen me… in this timeline, that is. But that's absurd! The power to remember events through time was always… Had never belonged to Papyrus! If he _did_ remember, that would mean- !

"Good… health?" I ask, hesitantly.

"YEAH! LAST TIME WE MET YOU COLLAPSED! I HOPE YOU DO NOT DO SO AGAIN!"

No… no no No _NO_! This _cannot_ be happening! I sink to my knees, hardly aware of the tears dripping down my cheeks. Papyrus' expression turns to one of consternation in an instant as he rushes to help me, but I barely feel his hands on my arms. I ask him the questions I need him ton answer, even though I already know the answers.

"P-Papyrus… Do you know who Gaster is?"

"YES! I TRIED LOOKING FOR HIM AFTER YOU ASKED ME TO THE FIRST TIME, BUT I COULDN'T FIND ANY MENTION OF HIM. THEN I FOUND AN ABANDONED LAB IN MY BASEMENT THAT HAD REALLY OLD RECORDS OF HIM! APPARENTLY HE WAS THE ROYAL SCIENTIST BEFORE ALPHYS BUT HE HASN'T BEEN SEEN FOR A LONG TIME AND NO ONE REMEMBERS HIM! ISN'T THAT WIERD?!"

My heart sinks in confirmation. I should be surprised at the information he hwas given me, but all I can feel is my despair. Poor Gaster. He had erased himself, again, in the pursuit of helping me fix things.

"That's good, Papyrus… You did well… What of- of Sans?"

Even his name makes my soul spasm with the force of my anguish.

"I… I AM SORRY HUMAN. I COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING ABOUT ANYONE NAMED SANS."

Even knowing what his answer had to be, my heart drops lower than the True Lab. Papyrus, not knowing what to do or how to handle my tears just holds me. And I? I just sob my heart out into his chest. His touch is meant to be comforting, but to me it's just a reminder of my loss, because he's not the one who should be comforting me. That job should belong to… to someone else. Even now, knowing He's gone, it hurts too much for me to say his name. Knowing he's gone… There's nothing left for me. I can't exist here - it's too painful, there's too much anguish and heartache – but the rules… I'm not allowed to just _stop_.

 **There's another way to get what you want, Partner.**

My will is too shattered to push them away this time… Or that is what I tell myself. Maybe, just maybe, though, the scary truth is that I _want_ to hear what the genocidal soul says. Whatever the reason, instead of ignoring them like I should, I respond to them.

 _What other way?! He's_ _ **DEAD**_ _! Sans is_ _ **DEAD**_ _, because you – we – killed him!_

Admitting that to myself, even in the privacy (hah!) of my own mind, just about tears my soul apart. It doesn't matter that the Other one took control for the split second it took to kill him. That's just an excuse. The fact is that he died in my arms, and I will never, ever forgive myself for it.

 _There is_ _ **NO**_ _way that we can undo that! I've **tried**_. _He's gone… So don't even_ _ **try**_ _to lie to me about that!_

The person in my head just smirks.

 **Why would I lie to you, Partner? You know I only ever tell you the truth.**

…The Other had a point there. They usually took _delight_ in telling me every horrible truth.

"…HUMAN?"

Oh my stars, I had forgotten about Papyrus. This was not a conversation that I should be having, let alone expose him to. I take a deep shuddering breath. Now that I had a plan – even one so thin and despicable as holding a conversation with the Other – I had stopped crying. I gave Papyrus a hug.

"Thanks, Papyrus… for everything. For supporting me, for being there… For trying to help me make things better." I intended to stop there, but something prompts me to continue, to say just one more thing to him. I pull away, cupping his face in my hands, memorizing it. His expression is so sad. I feel guilty for making him have such an expression. Papyrus is the one person who should never, ever, be sad.

I don't know what comes next, but nothing good ever comes from the Other one. Maybe _that_ is what prompts me to say what I do.

"… Goodbye, Pappy."

His expression becomes alarmed, but it is already too late- I had started the RESET.


	5. Ch 5: Dangerous Dealings

_Cear IK: Ah, the beginning of the end... Yep, this story will wrap up with just under ten chapters! I don't really know, though, because the chapters tend to be kinda variable... Anyway, I have chapter six typed up, and I've begun hand-writing chapter seven... there goes my nice buffer... So if anyone makes it this far, thanks a lot! This is my first fanfic ever, and the first_ fiction _I've ever posted of any kind. I actually had a lot of formatting issues, since I was going from Word2016 with all it's wonderful fonts and styles to this, with it's severely curtailed fonts and styles, and certain things didn't change over well (like Papyrus' capslock didn't once, and I had to go through and re-capitalize every letter... urgh). So this has been a learning experience for me! Again, my thanks. Please thank Toby Fox as well for the original, and check out this site's Ysavvryl's_ Rewinding Ways, _Katreal's_ A Tale of Consequences, _PetalThorn's_ Corrupted File Exe, _and FlyingFoxOfDoom's_ Long Ago _for just a few of the fanfics I took inspiration from- also because they're_ **_really good_**.

* * *

 **Chapter Five:**

After the RESET, I once again found myself in the field of flowers.

"Heh, that was fast. Find what you were looking for?"

I open my mouth, but the Other beats me to it.

 **Asriel. Play nice. She's agreed to talk.**

Flower shuts up but keeps smirking. Interesting that he can hear the Other – I've always known that they were another soul, but no one has ever even sensed them, except… Sans… I never knew if Sans could sense them or not. Also interesting- the Other had called Flower 'Asriel'.

 **Now that we're not where that big oaf can interrupt us-**

"Why don't you just get rid of him?" Flower interrupts, looking innocent. But I know what he meant… and that makes me _furious._

" _Hey_ ," I hiss, startling him. "Don't you _ever_ threaten Papyrus." The stupid flower just keeps smirking at me, so I drop my voice in a growl "Or you're going to have a **bad time**."

The flower starts in shock, then gives me an undecipherable look.

"… for a second there, you sounded so like the smiley-trashbag-" I actually growl this time, and now the stupid flower is watching me warily, "… it's kind of creepy." Both of us are so busy staring eachother down, we jump when the Other one starts snickering.

 **Heh… Who would have thought the Pacifist would have such a bite?**

The flower just stared, then snorted, joining the snickering. I just blinked. The Other was right- I was a pacifist. Normally. I don't really care if you attack me. But stars above, don't ever hurt someone I consider to be mine. I guess these two never learned that. Even after all that time Flowey spent in his damn pot.

 **So… Continuing the conversation… I know how to get what you want… Partner.**

"But… How?" I ask, feeling a little worn out and defeated by everything. Despite the Other's words… I know there is nothing I can do. No matter what happens, there is no bringing Sans back. It felt kind of… Good, saying his name after all this time. Still felt like my soul was shattering, but I deserved that. Saying his name – Sans – felt like I was getting closer to him. Like I was no longer avoiding him. No longer hoping for something that wasn't possible.

 **You can't bring him back… But you can end it.**

"How? I've _tried._ It never sticks" I all but whine.

 **Hush. That's because you never asked me.**

"Well?!" I ask, suddenly angry. "How? If you know all the answers, tell me!"

 **Heh. It works better if you just let me show you.**


	6. Ch 6: The Beginning of the End

_Cear IK: Hiyah. I don't believe anyone will ever get this far, but I can hope! This is the last of the buffer chapters- I haven't finished writing chapter seven, let alone typing it up. Thanks for anyone who makes it this far. As always, critiques are helpful and desired- it means that someone actually read this!_ Very _short chapter, sorry 'bout that, but important things happen here! Also, happy that I just uploaded the first version of the story's cover art. First person to guess what it is gets a cookie.  
Much thanks to Toby Fox for creating Undertale. Much thanks to AO3 writers like Sanzy Fresh and Occulttale for inspiring me!_

* * *

 **C hapter Six:**

 _Are you sure about this?_

" **Very sure, Partner. I doubt you'd have the guts to start the method you'd need to finish this."**

Having the other in control felt… Wrong. Very wrong, but I had little choice. This was the last way left for me, the last option untried. Or so I told myself. Truth was, it felt like I had made a horrible, horrible mistake. The Other hadn't touched Mom – Toriel – the first time she came to 'rescue' us from Flowey. But the first Froggit we ran into… I'd tried taking back control, but the Other easily overpowered me. I'd almost had a crying fit right there and then, but that wouldn't have helped anyone... And I was determined to bear witness as they continued dusting everyone they came across. We were nearing Mom's house. I was so worried for Toriel's safety… even though the Other had already told me what they intended to do. I could only hope they did it quickly. I- I wish there was another way… But the only way for me to stop existing was to erase the timeline… and only way to do that was…

I saw a black tree. A black tree with no leaves. No. Oh no. I had just run out of time.

"Oh dear, that took longer than I thought it would."

 _No_. I know what's coming. The Other told me. I start fighting, even though I know I am powerless to stop it. Even though I know… In order for me to disappear… _it_ had to happen.

 _Run Mom!_ _ **Run!**_

I don't know why I scream- she can't hear me. I do it anyways. I scream so loud, that, trapped in my own head as I am, I can't hear her, even though I watch her mouth move – her smile – through eyes once mine.

 _ **Oh stop fighting, Partner. You knew what was going to happen. You**_ _ **want**_ _ **this to happen.**_

 _No…_

I protest weakly, yet knowing that they are right. I can only watch in horror as Mom lets us into her house, feeds us, gives us a room to rest in. I start fighting again when Toriel leaves for the Door.

No.

"Don't follow me."

 _No._

"Last warning"

 _NO_

I start fighting the Other as we follow Mom down the hallway, but… to no avail.

We reach the Door.

I throw my _all_ into regaining control – all my focus, all my Determination – losing contact with anything but the fight for dominance. I'm slowly eking out a victory- too slowly. When, finally, I am in control again, I am greeted by the sight of a dust-covered purple dress, and a- no, _the_ knife in my hand. Stars, it _hurts_. I reset again.

 **Aww… Ashamed of ourselves, are we? Feeling** **Regret** **,** _ **Partner?**_

"Guess they didn't last, did they? What, didn't have the guts to go through with it?"

"No… But when you killed mo- _Toriel_ , I realized that if we're going to kill everyone… I want to take responsibility for my actions. If we kill everyone… I'm going to be the one wielding the knife."

 **. . .**

". . ."

I can feel both the flower and the Other just look at me. I can feel the other's grin.

 **Well well… This should be** _ **entertaining**_

1003 RESETs after I started counting, the second RESET after I made my decision… I start my first Genocide Run.


End file.
